Three Words
by stellajones
Summary: Three words can change the world. Three words can change anyones life. These three words nearly tore the team apart.
1. Chapter 1

Artemis ran, away from the pain, away from the words, away from the people who seemed not to care anymore. Her feet pounded the grass, making the only sound on the mountainside. Okay, not the only sound, she could hear the yells of her team, her almost-family, as they looked for her. But they would never find her, not Robin, with his mastery of the shadows, not Conner, with his superhearing, not even M'gann, with her telepathy. None of them could possibly know where she was going, when she herself did not know. She just needed to get away, and this was how she was doing it.

.-.-.

As the rest trudged back into the mountainside, feet aching, tears staining some cheeks, Robin stayed and looked. He hoped that maybe, if he found her, he could bring her back and she and Wally would make up and everything would go back to normal. _But what is normal for us? More fighting? He's never going to trust her again. Maybe I should… NO! You are Robin, the Boy Wonder, you do NOT give up. _Shaking his head, he moved on, maybe she was hiding just over the next ridge. He searched all night, and halfway through the next day, until the team finally gave in and told Batman what he was doing. Well, the team minus Wally, no one knew where he had gone.

.-.-.

She had to go and screw everything up, didn't she? She had to go and run away, scared that since they fought one time, _okay, _a couple times, that he meant it when he said it. Why would she even think that he could possibly think that, sure, she was annoying at times, but there was no way he could... no, he couldn't possibly… could he? Shaking his head at his own foolish question, Wally put on that much more speed. Sure, he went and sulked for a couple days, but he thought it would be the same as always. Get mad, say things you don't mean, sulk, get over it, and come back. That was the strange way their relationship _worked. _He would call her a harpy, she would smack him, he would flirt with M'gann, and she would call him out. It _worked. _So why did she have to go and take what he said to heart? He never meant it. He shook his head again, coming to a stop at yet another of her usual hiding places. Sighing when he found it was, yet again, empty, he moved on, hoping his search would end soon.

.-.-.

He was the leader. He should have seen this coming. He should have made them back off before it came to this. He should have stopped her from leaving so they could figure out how to circumvent the damage. He should have at least known where she was going. But no. He had not thought it would get out of hand. And when it did, he had not thought what Wally had said would be taken personally. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment things, and he did not think it would cause this. He knew he had to find her, if only because she is one of his teammates, but he did want to find her, because she was like a sister. If she was gone, who would explain strange land customs without first mocking him about it or making a large deal? If she was gone, who would he explain the marvels of the ocean to, that would actually listen? He knew he need to get her back, but he had no clue as to where to start.

.-.-.

Conner growled as he punched the bag once again, knocking it from its chain. It wasn't his fault she was gone, so why did he feel so bad about it? It's not like she was M'gann or anything, she was just, Artemis. She was snarky and rude around most people, but occasionally she would show her calmer side when she explained things like snowball fights and ice cream and parties. She was just another person, so why was he so mad? Sure, he felt like he needed to protect her, but he felt the same way about Robin! _I mean, they both are really vulnerable and are easily hurt, so that makes sense. ARGHH!_ He picked up the punching bag again and threw it in the air, punching it once it got close enough. It sailed right across the room, creating a dent where it hit the wall. _IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!_

.-.-.

She didn't understand. They argued all the time, why was this time any different? Why did this time make her run? Then again, whenever she feels the anger levels reach a high, she begins to tune them out until they either went silent or calmed down. But this time had been different. Artemis' wasn't as angry as usual, but Wally was? She shook her head. That didn't make any sense. Why would Wally be angry? Artemis is the hotheaded one. Ah well, she didn't understand earth culture anyways, maybe this was just another "frienemy," as Robin called it, thing. She would never understand the strange custom. However, three words rang through her mind, as though they may be the reason behind this mess. Three words shouted in frustration and anger. Three words that meant more than the Martian girl would ever understand.

_I hate you._

**So, I don't quite know what this is. It might turn into more, if people want it to. I just was thinking what the team's reactions would be if someone, say Artemis, were to run off. And thus, this was born. **

**I think I made M'gann a little too oblivious. Whatever, this is my M'gann so take it!**

**Disclaimer: I wrote this. As a figment of my imagination. Which is exactly what these characters are. A figment of a comic book writer's imagination. And I can't draw. So I can't possibly own this.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Ugh. My head hurts. _Artemis tried to bring her hands to her head, only to find her wrists tied. Her eyes snapped open, only to be met with darkness. Heavy breaths shook her frame. _Stay calm, it's not like you haven't been in this situation before. But then again, you could always see the person. _She tried to slow her breathing. _Come on Arty, get traught. Relax and take stock. Tied wrists and ankles, blindfold, and is that a… Yep, it's a gag. No quiver, no belt, wait, I'm in my civvies! So no fancy moves, damn it. Oh, and I'm not even in comfy civvies, stupid academy. _She shifted her weight, trying to get in a better position to get one of the many bobby pins out of her hair. _Maybe they left me in the open, there's a definite breeze going. Maybe the team will find me… If they're even searching. _Footsteps sounded in the small space, and a voice that would make her blood freeze spoke.

"Hey there baby girl."

.-.-.

"Rob, you seen Arty?" Wally walked into the mountain, calling over the last chords of the computer.

"YOU IDIOT!" Out of nowhere, he was suddenly attacked by various tools he knew only the Boy Wonder would use. Thinking on his feet, he got out of the main hall and sped into the kitchen, hiding behind M'gann.

"I'm not protecting you." She simply stated, giving the boy a small glare.

"Why not?" He tried to remain behind the girl as the small bird stalked into the room.

"Artemis hasn't come back in three weeks." With that, she disappeared, leaving Wally on his own.

Robin spotted the speedster, and dove across the counter, pulling Wally back up with him.

"What. Did. You. Do?" His voice was a low growl that would make even the bravest and the craziest people terrified. It made Wally vibrate to the point where he started to go through his best friend's hand.

"Oh no, you don't." Robin shook him roughly, making Wally stop for a moment, terrified. "You drove Artemis away, and then she disappears from everywhere. Even school! She hasn't shown up in a week. And I stopped by her apartment, her mom was missing and the door was busted in, but no, this is Gotham, it's just another missing person, not like anyone cares! And you know what, I found a note. From Sportsmaster! He knew she was messed up, and you're the cause of all this, so you and I are going to track him down, and you are going to apologize to her. Got it?"

Wally's eyes were wide. He had never seen Robin like this, but what really scared him were the words coming out of his mouth. _Missing? Disappeared? Sportsmaster? _ He was surprised she had ever let her guard down enough to get kidnapped. Or did something else… no! It couldn't have. He was sure of it.

"Wait, you said you found a note."

"Yes Wally. A note. On her bed. Next to her bow. Which was broken." Robin's grip tightened on Wally's shirt, he wasn't willing to let him go now.

"So, let me see it." Robin looked at him for a moment, as if unsure if Wally even cared enough. Finally deciding, he pulled out a paper that looked as if it had been stuck hastily in his belt.

The letter was written on a torn piece of binder paper, as if Sportsmaster had just reached into Artemis' backpack and pulled out the first paper he found. This was evident in the doodles of bows, arrows, and _lighting flashes? _Wally shook his head, taking his eyes off the pictures. The handwriting was atrocious, and he could barely make it out.

_Little heroes_

_ I know you will come looking for my daughter eventually. And if it's not you, it'll be that godforsaken Bat. She is not coming back to your little "junior justice league," at least, not in one piece. It's too late for you to do anything now, she's mine, and you aren't getting her. Not again._

_Sportsmaster_

Wally shook his head again. This was not happening.

"You don't have any way to track her?" Wally looked at Robin in hope.

"He took off all of her trackers, even the one in the necklace I gave her. And she didn't even know that one was there." Robin's seemed slightly depressed, Wally could tell it was affecting him more than he would like.

"Hey, dude, it's not your fault." Wally laid a hand on Robin's shoulder, still trying to work out of the death grip the kid had on his shirt.

"But I should be able to track her." Robin shook his head again. "I mean, what can we do when her covers his tracks so well even Batman can't find him, and the trail is over a week late?"

"We just have to wait."

**So, I got an overwhelming amount of replies demanding I continue. I hadn't really had anywhere to go, but thank you Spitfire163 for giving me inspiration. And thank you to everyone who reviewed.**


End file.
